This invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus with a function of door locking or interlocking, for safety, and a device manufacturing method using the same.
In a semiconductor exposure apparatus, safety should be considered in those portions such as an X-Y stage, a wafer conveyance system, and a reticle conveyance system (movable systems) as well as a laser system (optical system), for example. Conventionally, except the X-Y stage, those portions are provided with a structure (interlock structure) that the movement is stopped as a door of a chamber is opened. The X-Y stage is not provided with such function, because, if the X-Y stage is interlocked, it takes a very long time to perform precision inspection which is very undesirable in respect to the throughput.
A maintenance operation is performed while disabling the interlocking function, that is, by turning an interlock disabling switch on and by operating cheat switches for various doors
Since the maintenance has to be done after disabling various interlocking devices, it needs complicated operations. Also, the provision of an interlocking function itself is not always good, particularly in respect to the throughput. If a door is opened, the operation of the apparatus is interrupted. Depending on the procedure being performed, some steps have to be done once more.
On the other hand, there are operations to be done by an operator, such as a work of opening a window of a chamber and unloading a wafer cassette, and a work of opening another window of the chamber and replacing a reticle by another. Also, where excimer laser light is used as exposure light, the emission of the excimer laser light has to be interrupted as the chamber window is opened for replacement of the wafer cassette. The interlocking function operates when a chamber window is opened during the operation of the wafer conveying system or of the excimer laser system. This leads to a decrease of the throughput, as described above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and/or a device manufacturing method, by which the interlock disabling operation can be done promptly such that the maintenance operations or service operations can be done with a higher efficiency, by which the safety can be assured without decreasing the throughput, or by which the maintenance operation or the like can be done while keeping a chamber door or the like opened.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: guard means; interlocking means operable in response to loss of function in a portion of said guard means, to stop a corresponding operation in said apparatus; an interlock disabling switch for disabling the interlocking through said interlocking means; and a double disabling switch for disabling the interlock disabling function of said interlocking disabling switch.
The double disabling switch may be operable automatically in response to recovery of the lost function of said portion of said guard means, and wherein, in response thereto, said interlock disabling switch looses its switching function.
The guard means may include one of a door and a cover, and said double disabling switch may be provided adjacent to said door or said cover.
The function in said portion of said guard means may be lost as said door or said cover is opened, and said double disabling switch may be arranged so that said interlock disabling switch acquires a switching function in response to the opening or demounting of the door or the cover and that it looses the switching function in response to the closing or mounting of the door or the cover
The door or the cover may be closed or mounted, for temperature control of said apparatus.
The apparatus may further comprise display means for indicating that said interlock disabling switch is turned on as the same is turned on.
The apparatus may further comprise prevention means for preventing resuming the operation of said apparatus as said interlock disabling switch is turned on.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: guard means; a plurality of interlocking means each being operable in response to loss of function in a portion of said guard means, to stop a corresponding operation in said apparatus; and an interlock disabling switch for disabling the interlocking through at least two of said interlocking means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: an opening and closing mechanism including a door or a cover being made openable and closable or mountable and demountable; and locking means for locking said opening and closing mechanism so that said mechanism is released only at a predetermined timing whereat the opening through said opening and closing mechanism is allowed.
In accordance with a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: an opening and closing mechanism including a door or a cover being made openable and closable or mountable and demountable; discriminating means for discriminating whether said opening and closing mechanism may be opened or not; and output means for producing an output corresponding to a result of the discrimination.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: applying a photosensitive material onto a wafer; performing a process by use of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as described above; and developing the wafer after being exposed.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.